Sightings

Of note at sea were eight Great Skuas and 115 Little Gulls (with additional birds cutting off the point by crossing overland) and numbers provided by 31 Fulmars, 115 Gannets, 500 Kittiwakes and nearly 5000 auks including 3350 Guillemots. Other less usual sightings included seven White-fronted Geese and five Pintail and a second-winter Mediterranean Gull was also seen.

A brief check of the bushes at the Long Pits produced two Chiffchaffs and two Firecrests.

Just over five hours seawatching produced a record winter count of Little Gulls with 445 birds west and another 40 or so birds feeding close inshore by the fishing boats in the afternoon. The second main species involved was Guillemot with at least 8450 west and another 1000+ birds feeding offshore in the afternoon. Other species seen in large numbers included 429 Red-throated Divers, 21 Fulmars, 395 Gannets and 2445 Kittiwakes whilst more unusual species included a Black-throated Diver, six Pintail, 11 Gadwall, a Smew and two Mediterranean Gulls. There were 48 Turnstones feeding on the strandline at the fishing boats.

There was very little coverage on the land but a Fieldfare was caught in the moat and the regular pair of Stonechats were seen. 

A check of the bushes at the Long Pits produced a Chiffchaff and four Firecrests.

A Woodcock was found in the moat and there was a Fieldfare and two Firecrests in the trapping area.

Two Marsh Harriers were seen over the trapping area and a Firecrest was found at the Long Pits.

A check of the bushes produced a Woodcock, two Chiffchaffs and five Firecrests. A Merlin was also seen near the Lighthouse.

Three Redwings, a Chiffchaff and a Firecrest were found in the trapping area.

A check of the trapping area and Long Pits produced a Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff and three Firecrests.

Offshore, about 500 Guillemots and 20 Razorbills were feeding and an adult Mediterranean Gull was on the beach at the Patch.

At least one of the first-winter Caspian Gulls was at the Patch along with the second-winter Mediterranean Gull and thousands of other gulls. The oiled Great Skua (first seen on Jan.25th) also reappeared. Several thousand auks were offshore and again included an unusually high proportion of Razorbills and around 300 Red-throated Divers were also noted.  A mixed flock of 40 Grey Plovers and 150 Knot passed through. 

Two Firecrests were seen at the Long Pits.

Another three images of the Great Skua taken in much better weather conditions than on 25th are shown above.

It is worth comparing these images with those taken of two birds seen in February and November 2002. Although the February bird is labelled as a Great Skua, in the light of the recent revelations about Catharacta skuas in British waters it seems quite possible that this bird is in fact a Brown Skua. Note the relatively unstreaked appearance, overall colouration and unmarked head of the February bird. The identity of the November bird is also uncertain but it is worth comparing the colours of the underwing coverts, the extent, colour and pattern of streaking on the body, the head pattern, the ground colour and the relative bill shapes of the November bird with today's bird which appears to be a fairly standard Great Skua. 

Two first-winter Caspian Gulls were seen at the Patch during the day including a new individual. Also present were two Mediterranean Gulls and a Little Gull amongst the hoards of commoner gulls.

Large numbers of auks were offshore including a count of 3000 east in 90 minutes from first light and 330 Red-throated Divers were also flew east.

The cold weather induced a very small movement overland with eight Lapwings and nine Fieldfares arriving.